This morning, Billy Collins ’08 won the inaugural George Washington Patriot Run in Mount Vernon, VA. In a field of 520 runners, the former Bear emerged victorious after covering the 5k-course in a time of 18:29, outdistancing the second place runner by eight seconds.

The unique race course took runners down the George Washington Memorial Parkway and along the shore of the Potomac River before finishing up at Mount Vernon, the historic home of our first President.

It was Collins’ first race in nearly eight years after a standout career at the Brook. Collins was a versatile athlete for the Blue and White, evidenced by the Bear Blanket he earned during his senior year. He twice won the Excellence in Performance award for the golf team (2005 & 2006), but it was the race course where Collins truly stood out. In 2007, his first season of cross country, he took 11th in the New York State Championships.

During his senior track season in 2008, he earned All-County and All-State accolades thanks to outstanding performances in the 800 and 1600 meters. He won the 800 Division Championship in a time of 1:59.15, becoming the first Stony Brook runner to break two minutes since Will Lingle ran a 1:56.45 at the 2002 New York State Championships. He followed that performance with a 6th place finish in the 1600 at the New York State Championships. His time of 4:27.54 was the fastest by a Brooker in 25 years.

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